Adjustable maternity skirt



Sept. 5, 1950. P. RICHONY ADJUSTABLE MATERNITY SKIRT Filed Aug. 30, 19482 Sheets-Sheet 1 Paula Ric/may INVENTOR.

BY Wee/Z53 WW 5 M52];

P 5, 1950 v P. RICHONY 2,521,409

ADJUSTABLE MATERNITY SKIRT Filed Aug. 30,1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 PaulaRichony v INVENTOR.

Patented Sept. 5, 1950 UNITED STATES f A: 2,521,469

ADJUSTABLE MATEltNITY SKIRT: faulajltichony, Beverly Rins -Calif. 7Application August so, 1948; Seria-fNo. 46,919:

'f'his: invention relates for pregnant women, and theprimaryobject ofthe invention is-toemes skirt of this kind Whosestyle-or appearance: issubstantially unal): teiied despite the gradua -1 enlarged adjustmentthereof in the progressive stages of pregnancy.

Another object is to provide a maternity skirt the upper portion of thefront of which, or that portion which overlies the abdomen, is readilyadjustable in girth and of cupped form to comfortably accommodate theenlarged abdomen of a pregnant woman, whereby material lifting of saidfront portion and consequent destruction of the original style orbalanced effect of the skirt is eliminated, and whereby the enlargedcondition of the woman's abdomen is rendered less obvious orconspicuous.

The exact nature of the present invention as well as other objects andfeatures thereof will become apparent from the following descriptionwhen considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a front perspective view of a maternity skirt embodying thepresent invention, as said skirt appears while being worn;

Figure 2 is an enlarged side elevational view thereof;

Figure 3 is an enlarged rear elevational view of the same with the upperportion of the back folded backwardly and downwardly;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal section taken on line 44of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a horizontal section taken on line 5-5 of Figure 2; and

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken on line 66 ofFigure 5.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the illustrated embodiment of theinvention consists of a front 5 and a back 6 sewed together along themajor lower portions of their adjacent side edges,

as at I, and having the upper portions of said edges left free to formside plackets at 8 adapted to be adjustably secured in closed positionby means of coacting separable fastener elements 9 and H1. The upperportion of the back may have flap extensions II on its side edges whichare adjustably and separably connected at and inwardly of the front 5 ofthe skirt by means of tapes l2 adapted to be tied in a" bow as at I3.

Also, the upper portion of the back may be provided with permanentpleats M to provide the usual fullness thereof directly below the waistline.

At each side of the vertical cente of the front 5, the upper portion ofsaid front is provided to adjustable dress skirts I with a plurality ofvertical, downwardly tapered temporary pleats: 15'' which are tacked orbested to permit. ready selective release and unfolding thereof, so astogradually increase the. girth-of the: garment at and immediately belowthe: waist lihearrd to originally give said upper portion-o! the front acupped form, as shown at It. The expansion of the upper portion of thefront may be yieldingly opposed by an elastic strap I! secured at itsends to said portion adjacent the side edges of the latter and extendingacross said portion near the waist line and through a series of loops l8formed by attaching a zigzag length of tape at spaced points to thefront. While both the flaps H and tapes l2 and the elastic strap 11 andloops l8 have been shown, it will be ap: parent that either the elementsII and I2 o the elements I! and I8 may be omitted. v

The cupped form of the upper portion of the front at 16, which overliesthe abdomen, renders the enlarged condition of the latter less obviousor conspicuous. The tacked pleats 15 may be successively released as theabdomen becomes larger to permit expansion of the upper portion of theskirt for the wearers comfort. These features, together with theelements II and and/or the elements I! and I8 prevent lifting of thefront portion of the skirt and consequent destruction of the originalstyle or balanced effect of the skirt, as the abdomen becomes larger.

In donning the skirt, the tapes l2 are untied and the plackets at 8 areunfastened. The extensions I l and tapes I! are then brought around thefront of the wearer inwardly of the upper front portion of the skirt,and the tapes I! are then tied together. The plackets are then fastenedin closed position by means of the fastener elements 9 and I 0.

From the foregoing description, it is believed that the construction andadvantages of the present invention will be readily understood andappreciated by those skilled in the art. Modifications and changes indetails of construction are contemplated, such as fairly fall within thespirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

l. A maternity skirtincluding a front having its upper portion ofoutwardly cupped form to accommodate the abdomen when enlarged by reasonof pregnancy, said upper front portion having a plurality of verticaldownwardly tapered temporary pleats tacked as to be readily releasableand unfoldable to gradually increase the girth of the skirt at andimmediately below the waist line, and elastic means secured on theinside of said upper front portion adjacent the waist line to yieldinglyoppose expansion of said portion by unfolding of the released pleats.

2. A maternity skirt comprising a front and a back sewed together alongthe major lower portions of their adjacent side edges and having theupper portions of said edges free to form a placket at each side of theskirt, the upper portion of said front being of outwardly cupped formand having a plurality of vertical temporary pleats tacked so as to bereadily releasable and unfoldable to gradually increase the girth of theskirt .at and immediately below the waist line thereof, releasable meansto close said plackets and elastic means secured on the inside of saidupper front portion to yieldingly oppose expan-l sion thereof uponrelease of said pleats.

3. A maternity skirt comprising a front and a back sewed together alongthe major lower portionsof their adjacent side edges and having theupper portions of said edges free to form a placket at each side of theskirt, the upper portion of said front being of outwardly cupped formand having a plurality of vertical temporary pleats tacked so as to bereadily releasable and unfold- 4 able to gradually increase the girth ofthe skirt at and immediately below the waist line thereof, releasablemeans to close said plackets, a zigzag length of tape extending acrossand attached to the inside of said upper portion of the front to providea horizontal series of loops, and an elastic strap attached at its endsto said upper portion adjacent its side edges and passing through saidloops, said elastic strap acting to oppose expansion of said upperportion upon release of said pleats.

PAULA RICHONY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

